Teams on Alert After 4-Star Athlete George Hill's Decommitment from Ohio State

In the wake of 4-star athlete George Hill’s decommitment from Ohio State, a handful of schools are emerging as prime contenders for his services.

According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, Michigan State is the first school that sticks out since Hill has visited East Lansing for a pair of games this season.

But the Spartans aren’t the only program who will be chasing the nation’s No. 10 athlete and the No. 129 player overall in the 2016 cycle now that he’s back on the market.

What makes Michigan State a school to watch, and which programs are likely to jump in the race for Hill? 

While he was committed to the Buckeyes for more than 15 months, Hill also had offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Michigan State, Nebraska, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

Of that group, Wiltfong noted that the Panthers and the Mountaineers would be the biggest immediate threat to the Spartans.

Still, it wouldn’t be a shock to see new schools emerge now that Hill is open.

"I'm going to consider all schools moving forward from this point," Hill told Scout’s Bill Greene.

However, a couple of factors are helping Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio and his staff in their pursuit of Hill.

Perhaps the biggest one is the presence of current star freshman running back LJ Scott—who shared the backfield with Hill at Hubbard (Ohio) High School during his prep career.

Also, Michigan State likes him to play either running back or in the secondary—two positions that the Spartans have developed talent with frequency and quality since Dantonio’s arrival in East Lansing.

Given his familiarity with Dantonio and his ability to fit on either side of the ball, Michigan State makes sense as a top candidate to eventually land Hill.

Pittsburgh could also become a factor with the No. 7 prospect from the state of Ohio thanks to head coach Pat Narduzzi and his previous role as the defensive coordinator at Michigan State.

Wiltfong noted that Narduzzi has recruited Hill dating back to his days with the Spartans and that he’s done a good job in building a strong relationship with him.

Hill also took a visit to Pittsburgh in August, and the Panthers could become a major player if he returns to the Steel City in the coming months.

West Virginia is also in the picture. While the Mountaineers offered him early, they are unlikely to supplant either Michigan State or Pittsburgh until they can get Hill on campus. 

Still, given his ties to the Spartans program, Michigan State is the primary school to watch with Hill in the coming weeks.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.